A Bath in the Lake and its Consequences
by Healer Pomfrey
Summary: Re-post of my story, originally posted under teddylonglong! Reply to my own February Challenge. Severus and Minerva are suffering from the Grindylow pox, but they both try to hide it from everyone with concealment charms. Someone has to help them... AU


**A**** Bath in the Lake and its Consequences**

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_I posted this story earlier under teddylonglong; but it fits my Healer Pomfrey profile better; so I'm reposting it. It was written for my own February Challenge_**.**

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**The challenge**:  
Place: Hogwarts  
Time: Harry's third Hogwarts year  
Content: A one-shot concerning the following topic: Severus and Minerva are both suffering from the Grindylow pox that are currently going around Hogwarts. However, they both try to hide it from everyone by placing concealment charms on themselves (they don't know of each other's problem either).  
Well, someone has to notice and help them ;-)

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"All of the Gryffindor and Slytherin third-year boys have taken ill with the Grindylow pox," Madam Pomfrey announced at the daily staff meeting that took place before dinner. "I had to put both dormitories under quarantine just to be sure, and I hope that we got most of it in hand, because the antidote, which the house-elves put into everyone's dinner two days ago, should have prevented all further infections. The incubation time is three days, so everyone, who is going to be affected, will be showing signs by tomorrow at the latest." She looked around, giving each of her colleagues a sharp look to confirm that they all seemed completely healthy.

"Do you have any idea how the girls could catch the Grindylow pox in the first place?" Albus queried gently, while he slowly unwrapped a lemon drop, recalling that he had missed said dinner in favour of a conversation with Minerva and Severus concerning Sirius Black and whether or not the Dementors should remain around the school during the holidays.

Poppy sighed. "Apparently, they got it from Crookshanks, Ms. Granger's cat."

"I didn't know that cats could get the Grindylow pox," Minerva wondered aloud.

"Well, they can, but as far as Hagrid told me, Crookshanks would never bathe in the lake, and that is the only known possibility where he could catch the pox, so we're a bit worried because we're not sure where he became infected," Poppy explained to her colleagues' surprise.

HP SEVERUS HP

In the evening, Severus was just brewing another large batch of salve for the Grindylow pox when he noticed that the dull ache behind his temples, which had already been bothering him most of the day, had developed into a tremendous headache. Sighing in exasperation, he put the potion under a stasis charm and retrieved a headache potion, greedily gulping it down. '_Ouch, that hurt; what's wrong with my mouth_?' he thought as realization set in. '_I must have caught the Grindylow pox! Oh no, I really don't have time to get ill right now with Black on the loose and the end-of-year tests beginning on Monday. The full moon is also next week. Let's hope Lupin doesn't catch it. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to take the Wolfsbane. Nevertheless, I better brew the Wolfsbane tonight. Who knows if I'll be able to brew during the next few days_.'

HP MINERVA HP

While Severus spent the better part of the night brewing the Wolfsbane potion in spite of feeling worse by the hour, Minerva looked in on her sick students. After confirming that the girls were already on the road to recovery, she checked on the boys, noticing that everyone was sleeping peacefully except for Harry, who seemed to be captured in fever-induced nightmares about his family. Minerva listened to his rambling as he begged his uncle not to hit him because he would be good for a few minutes, before she decided to wake him up. However, she was taken aback when he flinched back violently as she touched his shoulder.

Minerva talked with Harry for more than an hour, noticing that the child was telling her things, which he'd never admit if not for his delirious condition. However, she didn't doubt a word of what the boy told her. '_I'll have a word with Albus tomorrow and force him to let me gain guardianship over Harry instead of sending him back to his abusive home_,' she resolved as she groggily returned to her quarters at two o'clock in the morning.

In the morning, Minerva woke up, shivering violently. '_What happened? It can't be so cold in my quarters now, can it_?' she mused before she stepped into the bathroom, noticing, horrified, that the lower part of her face was covered in small green pox. Apart from that, she had dark rings under her eyes, and her cheeks were flushed with fever. '_Oh no, that must be the Grindylow pox. But I can't get sick right now. I have to fight with Albus over Harry, and next week we'll have the end-of-year tests. It's bad enough that all the third-year boys won't be able to take them and the girls will probably miss the first half of the tests, too_.'

She waved her wand at herself, casting a strong concealment charm to hide her sickly appearance, before she gulped down a headache potion and a fever reducer and made her way down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Minerva sat in her usual spot at the Head table, gratefully savouring the warmth of the hot mug of tea Albus pressed into her hands on her arrival.

"Our House tables seem very quiet this morning," Severus' voice suddenly penetrated her ear, causing Minerva to turn around in surprise. Her younger colleague was sitting next to her with his hands around his own mug. He seemed as distracted as herself and wasn't eating.

'_When did he arrive_?' Minerva mused. However, she neither had the energy to deal with her colleague nor to discuss the question of Harry Potter's guardianship with Albus. '_Maybe I'll feel better later, and I can speak with Albus during the staff meeting_,' she thought as she absentmindedly rose from her seat and left the Great Hall.

HP SEVERUS HP

Severus followed Minerva's example only seconds later. '_She behaved just like I feel_,' he realized on his way back to the dungeons, glad that nobody had been able to look behind his concealment charm. During the next few hours, he dragged himself through his classes. '_I hope the staff meeting tonight won't take much time, so I can skip dinner and go to bed early_,' he thought, while he vaguely registered that the seventh years managed to brew the last potion before their N.E.W.T.s flawlessly. '_Tomorrow I won't have any afternoon classes. The third-year snakes and lions are sick_,' he suddenly remembered and sighed in anticipation of a free afternoon as he dragged himself to the staff room, hoping that none of the topics discussed would involve him.

Severus noticed in relief that only Albus was present and chose a comfortable armchair opposite of the Headmaster. "Good afternoon, Albus," he greeted the man before he propped his elbows onto the table to give his achy head a few seconds of rest.

"Are you well, Severus? You're very quiet today," Albus queried in his usual gentle voice and offered him a lemon drop, causing Severus to groan inwardly, imagining how the sour candy would feel in his sore mouth.

"No, thank you, and yes, I am well. However, I was brewing Wolfsbane until five o'clock this morning, and I'd like to be excused from dinner to get some sleep."

"Very well, my boy; don't forget to take care of yourself," Albus replied understandingly.

Severus immediately straightened to a proper position when the door opened, revealing several of his colleagues, who noisily took their seats around the table, making his pounding headache flare.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, the Headmaster turned to the Mediwitch. "Poppy, do we have any other victims of the Grindylow pox, or do you believe we have it under control for now?"

"Thankfully, no one else has taken ill with it, and I believe that no one else can catch it, provided they ate their share at dinner three days ago," Poppy replied with an expression of obvious relief on her tired face.

"Unfortunately, someone played a prank on the Gryffindor first-years this afternoon that made them spike similar pox," the Healer continued with a hint of anger in her voice. "Of course, I could see right away that it wasn't the Grindylow pox, but it still took me two hours of casting diagnostic spells to confirm that they were completely healthy and were merely showing the effects of a joke candy from the Weasley twins. In the meantime, I received the antidote from the twins, and they're going to serve detention in the hospital wing until the end of the school year."

"But they have to take their O.W.L.s next week," Minerva threw in worriedly.

"The O.W.L.s will be during the day, Minnie, and their detention is set from right after dinner until curfew," Poppy replied sternly. "Apart from that, I don't care. I had other patients to look after, but in spite of that, I spent two hours on the first-years only to find out that they fooled me. You can be glad that I didn't take House points."

"Very well, Poppy. I believe that is an adequate punishment. Is there anything else to discuss?" Albus enquired, looking around his colleagues.

"Yes, I have something I wish to speak with you about. It concerns Harry Potter," Minerva spoke up, resolving to make it as short as possible because of the tiny, painful pox all over her throat and mouth.

"Oh, is poor Potter sick like everyone else?" Severus sneered. '_What else could it be about if not Potter_?' he thought in absolute annoyance, especially as he wanted nothing more than to return to the sanctuary of his personal quarters.

"Last night, I spent a few hours sitting with him," Minerva continued, deciding to ignore Severus' comment.

"Oh, did you do that with each of the other students as well?" Severus couldn't help asking in a sarcastic voice.

"Shut up, Severus, and let me continue," Minerva demanded. "I sat with Harry, because he had nightmares about his so-called family. He was begging his uncle not to beat him, and when I woke him up he flinched, obviously expecting his uncle to hurt him. I talked with him about the matter for a while, and he admitted that he was abused by his family..."

Severus let out a snort, causing some of his colleagues to throw him angry glances. "Of course Potter would try to attract attention by telling you such things," he sneered. He was set to continue his tirade when Minerva waved her wand at him, casting a silencing spell.

"Anyway, Albus, I don't want him to return to that family next week. Please let me or anyone else here have guardianship over the boy and keep him here," Minerva continued, cutting her explanation short as the pain in her throat became unbearable.

'_What does she think she's doing_?' Severus thought unbelievingly and cast a silent freezing spell at Minerva, causing her to remain stunned in her seat, unable to move.

"Have the two of you completely taken leave of your senses?" Poppy queried angrily as she stood up and towered over the table, putting both hands onto her hips and shooting the two opponents a menacing glare.

"Apparently," Albus used the silence to reply, while he slowly popped a lemon drop into his mouth.

Poppy fiercely waved her wand at Minerva, shouting, "_Finite Incantatem_," before she cast the same spell at Severus without even looking at the results of her anger-induced powerful magic.

"Minerva!" Pomona gasped, and everyone followed her eyes to Severus.

"You're both ill with the Grindylow pox," Poppy said unbelievingly. "What do you think you're doing, casting concealment charms on yourselves? You're both incredibly stupid! Off with you to the hospital wing this instant."

"No!" Minerva and Severus shouted simultaneously.

"Minerva, Severus," the Headmaster spoke up, and for once his baby-blue eyes were void of their usual twinkle. "You will do exactly as Poppy tells you. Do you understand me?"

"I don't have time for such things," Severus replied hoarsely.

"Nor do I," Minerva agreed, throwing the Headmaster a glare that was too weak to impress anyone, before she ended up in a coughing fit.

"Did you know that you can suffer brain damage if you leave the Grindylow pox untreated?" Poppy asked sternly and finally managed to drag her two colleagues with her to her domain, where she assigned them single rooms on opposite sides of the hospital wing.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Minerva and Severus, as well as the third-year Gryffindor and Slytherin boys were only allowed out of bed in time for the Leaving feast.

"Harry, you have to write to me," Hermione said worriedly. "I hope your relatives will treat you well."

"I won't go back to the Dursleys," Harry replied, throwing his friend a genuine smile. "The day before yesterday, Professor McGonagall snuck out of the hospital wing and came to see me. She offered to become my guardian, so I'm going to remain at Hogwarts with her over the holidays. Maybe you'll even be allowed to visit me for my birthday."

Fred and George suddenly began to chuckle. "She snuck out the day after Dumbledore snuck in to have a discussion with her, and this afternoon he has taken ill with the Grindylow pox as well. We were allowed to serve tonight's detention in the afternoon, so we're fully informed."

_A __few days later..._

Harry was sitting at the edge of the lake under his Invisibility Cloak reading a book, glad to be at Hogwarts but totally annoyed with the over-protectiveness of his new guardian, who only let him out on the grounds alone under the condition that he remained under his cloak.

Suddenly, the black dog he had seen several times over the last school year, who was obviously able to sense him even if invisible, appeared right next to him and transformed into a man, whom Harry recognized as Sirius Black. The man talked to Harry and clarified that he had neither betrayed his parents nor killed Pettigrew and the Muggles, and Harry believed the man, who claimed to be his godfather, recalling that he had seen Peter Pettigrew's name on the Marauders' Map a few months ago.

"Transform back into your dog form and come with me to Professor McGonagall's office," he instructed Sirius, who threw him an astonished look.

"Shouldn't we speak to Dumbledore?" he queried in surprise.

"He is ill with the Grindylow pox," Harry explained, causing Sirius to gasp.

"Uh-oh, I caught the Grindylow pox a few weeks ago after bathing in the lake, and I probably gave it to the nice cat, who often joined me during the night. I hope he didn't take the pox into the castle," Sirius admitted, throwing Harry a concerned look.

"Well, we all got it from Crookshanks," he replied dryly. "Now let's go and explain everything to Professor McGonagall."

Knowing that the Headmaster was still stuck in the hospital wing, Minerva decided to ask Severus for help. She explained the matter to her colleague, in spite of knowing that he and Sirius couldn't stand each other, and sent him to the Weasleys to capture Ronald's rat. When Severus arrived back at Hogwarts with the rat in a small cage, they questioned Sirius and Peter under Veritaserum and finally called the Aurors. Shortly later, Peter was interviewed by the Aurors and given the Dementors' kiss right away. Sirius Black received a fair trial and was declared free. From then on, Harry had two guardians and was able to choose where he wanted to spend his holidays.

"Congratulations, Harry. I'm very glad that everything worked out so well for you," the Headmaster told him at dinner after Madam Pomfrey finally released him. Sighing, he added, "What I can't understand is why all these interesting events had to happen while I was stuck in the hospital wing with the Grindylow pox. I missed everything."

Harry smirked, seeing that Minerva and Severus were simultaneously rolling their eyes in annoyance.

**The End**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._


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